1686-03-12[Selectmen March 12, 1686]
12: March: 1685: at a meeting of the Selectmen Mr. Roger Haskins, Richard Ober, and
Thomas Gage: was chosen Surveyors of the Highways. At the same meeting Joseph Hibbard & John
Knights was chosen Surveyors of Fences for the year ensuing. Agreed with William Whore, sexton,
for this year to hang the bell as usually and for ringing it at nine o’clock & to sweep the meeting
house a[nd] to see ye glass is turned and kept full & he is to have five pounds in country pay for his
pains.
At the same meeting John Grover sen. and Nathaniel Conant were chosen to take care that
all swine belonging to the town that goes upon the common be sufficiently yoked and ringed
according to law: or town order by the tenth of April next and so to be sufficiently yoked until the
seventeenth da y of October following and upon any failure herein the owners of such hogs: or hog
shall pay for each, one shilling for every such offense.
At the same meeting John Grover and Nathaniel Conant were chosen for the prosecution of
the next above order about swine and to see that no hog or hogs are so trespassing for the said time
and to have the penalty imposed by said order for his pains.
John Knights and Joseph Hibbard as is expressed on the other side are chosen Surveyors of
all Fences of the general fields fences in particular and all other fences in Beverly and to see that all
such fences be well set up and in good repair by tenth of April next ensuing the date hereof according
to law and to stand surveyors for one whole year from the date hereof 12:1: ‘85: & 6.